Residents weigh in on Natick walkability

Town leaders say a recently completed survey on how pedestrian friendly Natick is told them residents are interested in walking and gave them an idea of what roads to focus on.

By Brian Benson/Daily News staff

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Posted Jul. 26, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 26, 2012 at 9:57 PM

By Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Posted Jul. 26, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 26, 2012 at 9:57 PM

NATICK

» Social News

Town leaders say a recently completed survey on how pedestrian friendly Natick is told them residents are interested in walking and gave them an idea of what roads to focus on.

About 1,700 residents responded to the survey, which identified walking habits and areas of town in need of pedestrian improvements.

"It helps us in the process of setting priorities for how we want to build Natick to make it welcoming to pedestrians," said Selectman Josh Ostroff, who helped secure a $65,000 grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation that funded the survey. "There’s a strong appetite for improved walking conditions."

The grant helps the town assess walking conditions, prepare engineering estimates and develop programs to encourage walking. It does not cover construction costs for sidewalks or other improvements.

Most respondents to the survey who walk regularly said they do so for exercise. Distance between places is the largest impediment, according to preliminary results.

Of parents with school age-children, 31 percent said their kids walk or bike to school. Forty percent said their children would do so if there was a structured program, something Ostroff said he would like to see implemented at all schools.

Residents listed Rte. 9 businesses, Natick Center and schools as some locations that are difficult to reach by foot.

About 35 percent of respondents said the condition of sidewalks, crosswalks and other infrastructure made walking challenging. Residents identified North Main, Pine, Cottage, Woodland, Rockland, Everett and Eliot streets as among those that fall short.

Community Development Director Patrick Reffett said he was not surprised to see those areas listed.

"What’s different about this is it helps to legitimize requests for prioritization of sidewalk work," Reffett said.

The town plans to recruit and train volunteers to walk streets and evaluate pedestrian conditions, providing further insight into how to rank projects, Ostroff said.

"There’s definitely a need or demand for improvements but very limited resources," said John Magee, chairman of the town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. "Hopefully, as a community, we can come together and decide how we spend our resources."

Town leaders plan to present results of the survey at a meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Town Hall, 13 East Central St.